FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why is it great to work for the USGS?

A: When you become a part of the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS), you join a world leader in the natural sciences.
The USGS provides reliable scientific information to describe and understand
the Earth; minimizes the loss of lives and property from natural disasters;
manages biological, water, mineral, and energy resources; and enhances and
protects our quality of life. For more information, visit http://www.usgs.gov/ohr/.

GENERAL

Q: Is it possible to apply for a Mendenhall Fellowship under more than one
Research Opportunity?

A: Yes. Applicants are strongly urged
to coordinate the development of their research proposals with appropriate
Research Advisors. Currently
there is no limit on the number of applications an individual may submit.
In the event that an applicant ranks highly for more than one Research
Opportunity,
the USGS retains the right to determine the Opportunity for which a job offer
may be made.

Q: How many Mendenhall Fellows are hired each year?

A: The number of postdoctoral fellows
hired depends on funding available each year. The expected range is 12
to 20 each year.

Q: What is the role of the Research Advisor during the preparation of the research
proposal?

A: Applicants are strongly urged to
coordinate the development of their research proposals with the appropriate
Research Advisor(s). The role of the Research Advisor(s)
is primarily consultative. They may provide assistance in the sharpening
up of a proposal but should not be actively involved in writing the proposal.
The concepts around which the proposal is built should be generated mostly
by the applicant. The Research Advisor(s) should provide equal access to
all potential applicants.

Q: Can Mendenhall Program research be done jointly with universities or other
institutions?

A: Yes. Each year a number of the Research
Opportunities advertised have
co-mentors from universities and other institutions. Typically, funding
is provided by the USGS. However, it is possible to conduct research
under this Program with joint funding between the USGS and other sources.

Q: If the project does not fit neatly into 2 years, can a Mendenhall Fellowship
be extended?

A: Mendenhall Fellowships are funded
for 2 full years, and funding cannot be extended. The appointment is
made initially for 2 years; however, it can be extended for up to an
additional 2 years provided appropriate work and funding are available.
Some Mendenhall Fellows have been able to extend their employment with
the USGS by obtaining additional funds from other USGS funding sources
and obtaining additional funds from external sources.

Q: What is a “reasonable” budget for
a Mendenhall postdoctoral project?

A: Application packages are evaluated
based on four criteria detailed below. One of these covers budget and facilities.
This factor considers the proposed budget—if it is commensurate
with the level of effort and reasonable with respect to the value of anticipated
results. This factor also considers the availability of necessary facilities
at the USGS or proposed arrangements for access to required facilities
elsewhere. Salary, benefits, and overhead are included with each Mendenhall
assignment. The budget request part of the application should cover anticipated
operating expenses—for fieldwork, access to specialized equipment,
conference travel, publications, and so on. The total amount requested
by successful applicants varies considerably. Applicants are expected to
communicate the total cost (operating expenses) for a 2-year effort.

Q: If an applicant asks for “too much” for
operating expenses, will he/she be at a competitive disadvantage?

A: See answer to the question above.
To date, the Mendenhall Program has not excluded an applicant from competition
on the basis of his/her budget request.

Q: I am interested in a Mendenhall Postdoctoral
Fellowship. What should I do?

A: The first step is to become aware of the Research
Opportunities available
for a given year and the application deadline. Check the table
of opportunities and the associated descriptions. Then, contact the Research Advisor(s)
listed and express an interest in the project advertised. Applicants
are strongly urged to coordinate the development of their research proposals
with the appropriate Research Advisor(s). Please be sure to pay close
attention to the application details and deadlines and ensure your complete
application package is submitted prior to the closing date and time listed.

Q: Are all advertised Research Opportunities filled
each year?

A: No. The number of positions filled depends on the funding available.

Q: How many applications are received each year?

A: Approximately 100 applications are typically received each year.

Q: Can more than one applicant be accepted into
the same Mendenhall position (Research Opportunity or project)?

A: Yes. More than one Postdoctoral
Fellow can be awarded to a research project. However, this is very rare.

Q: Can aspects of science education be incorporated
in to a research proposal?

A: Yes. As a part of the final steps
toward career preparation, Fellows are encouraged to take part in educational
activities as appropriate. Some examples of such activities include: preparation
of Fact Sheets and similar products relevant to their research, involvement
with educational committees of professional societies, visiting schools
as guest scientists, working directly with teachers to enhance science
teaching, and organizing a public field trip to the Fellow’s research
area. These types of activities are encouraged for USGS permanent staff
as well. Applicants should understand that the principal focus of projects
under the Mendenhall Program is scientific research in the disciplines
or subdisciplines pertinent to the Research
Opportunity.

CITIZENSHIP

Q: Can citizens of nations other than the United
States of America apply for a Mendenhall Fellowship?

A: Yes. As the Mendenhall Fellowships
are U.S. Government positions, the USGS must give preference to U.S. citizens.
Citizens of other nations may be considered under certain circumstances.
An example is when there are no qualified citizen applicants. In such a
situation, the USGS may consider making an offer to a noncitizen. It is
optional for the USGS to consider citizens of other nations, and various
laws and regulations must be followed. The Basics section contains some
information on the hiring of noncitizens.

Q: How many citizens of nations other than the
United States have been hired under this program?

A: About 5% of the Mendenhall Fellows to date have been citizens of other
nations.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER APPLYING?

Q: What happens after an application is submitted
by the deadline?

A: Each application is checked to
confirm that all required documents have been submitted. The Regional Personnel
Office contacts perform a preliminary qualifications review to verify that
minimum educational qualifications are met and that a research proposal
has been submitted in the appropriate format. Then the applications are
forwarded to a review panel, to the Coordinator of the Mendenhall Program,
and to the selecting officials for review.

Q: How are applications reviewed? What are the
criteria used to evaluate them?

A: All qualified applications are
reviewed using a two-step process. First, a review panel made up of subject
matter experts (scientists) reviews each application on the basis of the
criteria described below and ranks all applications. Research proposals are expected to be fully responsive to the requirements described in the Research Opportunity. The panel forwards
its recommendations to the selecting officials (USGS managers). The selecting
officials also review the applications utilizing the criteria below. They
make final selections considering the input of the review panel and the
Coordinator of the Mendenhall Program.

All qualified applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

Technical quality of the research proposal: This factor considers
the scientific merit of the proposed research and the probability of
achieving positive results within the 2-year postdoctoral appointment
period. This factor is double weighted. Thus, the scientific merit
of the proposal is just about the most critical aspect.

Relevance and Timeliness: This factor considers the relevance and
timeliness of the proposed research as they relate to the science strategies
listed under The Basics. The potential
for the advancement of science as well as the advancement of USGS science
strategies will be considered. Research proposals are expected to be fully responsive to the requirements described in the Research Opportunity.

Research performance and academic record: This factor considers the
quality of graduate research and publication record of the applicant
(promptness of publication of results, quality of publications, and
so on) and the graduate and undergraduate grades.

Budget and Facilities: This factor considers the proposed budget—if
it is commensurate with the level of effort, and reasonable with
respect to the value of anticipated results. This factor also considers
the availability of necessary facilities at the USGS or proposed arrangements
for access to required facilities elsewhere.

Q: When will applicants learn about the outcome
of their application?

A: As posted at the top of the Mendenhall
Program web site, offers will be made typically during mid to late February.
Applicants are usually given 2 weeks to accept or decline offers. Because
there are more highly ranked applicants than there are available
Postdoctoral Fellowships, additional applicants may receive
offers if initial offers are declined. Therefore, all offers must be resolved
before formal notifications are sent to all applicants. This may not happen
until the end of March or later.

AFTER A MENDENHALL FELLOWSHIP…

Q: What do Mendenhall Fellows go on to do after
their USGS postdoctoral tenure?

A: There are many potential career
paths after a Mendenhall Fellowship. As of July 2008, 76 Mendenhall Fellows
have completed their 2-year appointments. Here is where they went after
the Mendenhall tenure: 25 obtained permanent career positions with the
USGS; 11 are continuing in temporary positions with the USGS; 25 have obtained
tenure track positions in universities; 6 are employed by other Federal
government agencies; 4 are working in the private sector; 1 went back to
school; 2 left science; 1 is working overseas; and 1 is teaching in high
school.

Q: Will the Mendenhall Fellowship lead to a permanent
position with the USGS?

A: Not necessarily. Tenure as a Mendenhall
Fellow does not lead to any preferred status when it comes to permanent
employment with the USGS. Mendenhall Fellows can apply and compete for
permanent or other types of USGS positions. If a Mendenhall Fellow obtains
employment with the Federal Government, the 2-year employment will be
added to the length of service.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A USGS MENDENHALL FELLOW?

Mendenhall Fellows work directly with their Research Advisors. The
Research Advisors are scientists who are usually permanent staff at various
USGS science centers. The Mendenhall Fellow is an active member of
the group to which she/he is assigned to and participates fully in group
meetings and other activities. Fellows will have an opportunity to interact
with a large number of professional scientists who span a wide range of
disciplines and subdisciplines. The USGS is a ~9000 strong organization with
a presence in all 50 States and abroad. There are approximately 1500
research scientists at the USGS.

Here is what a few Mendenhall Fellows said about their experience at the
USGS:

“I would describe work at the USGS as a Mendenhall as being pretty
much the ideal research environment -- I'm surrounded by top-notch scientists
doing high-level research … I have everything I need to do good
research, but do not have as many distractions as are common in graduate
school. Though my project is (as written) pure research, there is enough
applied work going on around me that I am kept aware of current topics
in geophysics, am involved in solving real problems, and am able to keep
my research focused on applications with immediate importance. It's really
a pretty ideal combination, and one that is (to my knowledge) unique
to the USGS.”

“I think the greatest thing about working as a Mendenhall Postdoc
is breadth of facilities and expertise the USGS has to offer. With the
tons of labs and tons of leaders in their fields in this organization,
the possibilities for collaboration on truly integrated and innovative
research are endless. The financial support is solid, and the program
is highly invested in your research success. The postdoc is all what
you make of it. If you don't develop a clear research objective and approach
relatively quickly, you can totally flail. But if you do, you can have
2 to 4 incredibly productive years.”

“As a Mendenhall Post-doctoral researcher, you have the ability
to interact with leading scientists in many disciplines, genuinely interested
in sharing their talents, in learning from you and in helping you achieve
your project goals. This provides in my opinion, the greatest working
environment there is.”

“Working as a Mendenhall Fellow with the USGS has provided me
with invaluable experience in doing top quality science with seasoned
researchers, along with new opportunities to assist other governmental
agencies in providing the science needed to make informed land management
decisions".

“I would definitely encourage PhD students to apply for a Mendenhall
opportunity. I have absolutely loved the program. The work environment
is very professional, supportive and focused on quality research and
publication, just as would be expected in academia. The pay is very good
compared to academic post-docs, which makes one feel like an appreciated
professional - a pleasing sensation after all of those years of sweat
and poverty in graduate school. Also included are project funds each
year, and the possibility of access to extensive instrumentation/facilities/services
at USGS nation-wide. Plus there are lots of fieldwork options, and plenty
of USGS people participate in IODP and other outside cruises/fieldwork.
Mendenhall fellows basically get all the support needed”… to
hit the ground running and produce…“it's just up to the
individual to make the most of it. I am a big fan of the program. I also
had the luck of joining a fantastic group of people.”

“The thing I like most about the research environment here has
been the wide range of experience of the scientists from across the Survey.
There are lots of opportunities for collaborations, world class labs,
and a large amount of scientific resources. It is sort of like being
in a geology department with thousands of people in it.”

“Postdoctoral positions are becoming the norm as a career transition
from graduate school to whatever your next step may be. There are several
good reasons to go with a Mendenhall postdoc …right out of school:
A) The pay is better… B) You have the opportunity to interact
with some of the best scientists in your field and in ancillary fields.
How much you interact with researchers in Water Resources, Biological
Resources as well as in the Geology Disciplines in the USGS is completely
up to you. The more outgoing you are, the more rewarding the experience
will be. C) You have an autonomous (or nearly autonomous) research program.
With most academic postdocs, you will be working on someone else's proposed
research as opposed to the research questions you defined. D) The environment
is collegial.”

“The pursuit of cutting-edge societally-relevant research with
the USGS has given me a great deal of professional and personal satisfaction
that was lacking in academia.”

“Working at the USGS as a Mendenhall fellow has been a great experience
and great for my career. I would recommend this postdoctoral opportunity
for anyone, regardless of their future career path (e.g., research, consulting,
or academics). The ability to draw upon professional experience and expertise
in literally any geologic discipline from biogeochemistry to cosmochemistry
is what makes the USGS experience different from most other post doctoral
opportunities.”

“The most valuable aspect of my tenure as a USGS Mendenhall postdoc
was working with an interdisciplinary team of scientists- hydrologists,
geochemists, biologists, ecologists.”

“Unlike other national science organizations, funding levels of
the USGS Mendenhall Program reflect an enabling philosophy for young
research scientists.

“The research budget was a significant factor that enabled me to
explore novel, innovative approaches.”

“Like academics, research at the USGS is at the forefront of science,
often breaking new ground. The main difference between academic research
and research at the USGS is that most USGS research is applied in that
it builds on specific projects and problems that fall within the scope
of the USGS mission. However, this does not mean that research is limited
in comparison to academics. Because of the size, diversity, and available
resources at the USGS, the subjects and types of research projects are
practically unlimited.”

“Unlike many academic post-docs, the funding comes from the Mendenhall
Program and not from the advisor's projects. Thus, I have had a lot of
autonomy in planning and managing my project, but I still receive fantastic
guidance and mentorship from my advisor. As far as drawbacks, since there
are fewer students around than at a university, there are fewer opportunities
to practice mentorship (although certain curmudgeonly post-docs may see
this as a benefit). I actually did have the opportunity to mentor one student
worker during my post-doc. Similarly, there are fewer opportunities for
discussion groups, etc. But the research seminars were as good if not better
than those at my PhD institution. The average age of your close colleagues
is likely to be significantly older than it would be at a university. But,
speaking for my group, they may have some snow on the roof, but they're
fun to be around!”

“Compared to academic institutions, being a Mendenhall Fellow
at the USGS has provided a greater level of funding for two years, but
the uncertainty of long term funding is still quite similar.”

“As with any post-doc, how well it will set you up for the job
market just depends on whom you work with and what you accomplish. I
am nearing the final year of my fellowship and I have been competitive
(i.e., gotten an interview) for academic positions, government positions
and even some interest from the private sector (an environmental consulting
agency), although I've barely looked into that option. In short, I think
that my Mendenhall post-doc has put me in a good position with respect
to the job market, and has left me with more options than would a straight
academic post-doc.”